Down 4-2, Kuznetsova fought back to 4-4, only for Radwanska to regain the lead and serve for the match at 5-4. This time though, Kuznetsova pounced back, first securing the retaliatory break and following it up one more break of serve thrown in with a couple of service holds.
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After the match, Kuznetsova told reporters she made a decision to go for the cut because her hair was in the way. “I thought, okay, I ve got to go for it right now, and that s it”. In the victory, Kuznetsova won 58 percent of her first serve points and 57 percent of her second serve points. Today the first set I thought, I don’t know, I felt really sore and exhausted.
Kuznetsova came to these championships like a guest mistakenly showing up at a dinner party to which she wasn’t invited, featuring people who aren’t exactly her crowd. The Russian’s opponent Pliskova, however, has been dominant with her aces. I just hung in there more. I tried to keep things simple because it was quite hard.
Singapore-To get to the top, professional tennis players know they have to make tough sacrifices. I’m trying so hard.’ Then I just let it go because I was like, ‘Come on. It’s not like that.
“But some things are just starting to work now, starting to get together”.
“He was like, “I (am) going to kill you”. “Doesn’t matter if I play like crap and I’m sore, I will just be there”.
The win keeps Radwanska in the hunt to qualify for the semi-finals.
Pliskova had an opportunity to serve out the match at 6-5.
Pliskova was making her WTA Finals debut and it was certainly a memorable first appearance.
Trailing 1-2 in the third set and battling exhaustion, Kuznetsova requested scissors during a break and hacked through her thick ponytail about halfway down.
That means the victor of Friday’s contest between Radwanska and Pliskova will join Kuznetsova in the final four. “When I was hitting the forehands I hit a good shot and it would hit my eye”, she said.
“I was kind of feeling sorry for myself”, she said of her mindset at the start of the match. I’ve not been at my best my past years.
Kuznetsova and Pliskova stand at 1-0 in White Group action, while Radwanska and Muguruza are 0-1.
“I could play a little bit better”. “I think Angie (Kerber) showed everyone, all of us, that it’s possible”.
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I thought, ok, whats more important now? Well, that was a very close one, but I’m just very, very happy that I could win that one. It doesn’t matter what situation you been through, you can not be sorry for yourself. “I mean, sometimes it’s not easy, you know”. Here that is very important. The victor of that match will qualify in the second place from the White Group.
